(City of Kamloops).

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Traffic issues – simple and cheap is often the best way to go

May 11, 2022 | 4:35 AM

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS are often the best ones. That’s the case, at least, when it comes to traffic problems.

An example of that is the pilot project at the south end of Overlanders Bridge. A few weeks ago, the City decided to try changing the access onto the bridge from Mission Flats and Summit Drive.

For years, drivers coming from that direction had to deal with a traffic light at the on-ramp. When it was red, traffic would back up. During rush hour in particular, traffic from Summit would sometimes stretch more than a kilometre, reaching all the way up the hill.

Then, somebody in City Hall had a light-bulb moment: why not try taking the signal light out of action and, instead, merging the two westbound lanes from Victoria Street West and allowing the Summit traffic to have free flow.

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It’s working like a charm and will soon be made permanent.

Such a simple answer to a vexing problem. It brings to mind another simple solution at another bridge. Traffic snarl-ups at the south end of the Red Bridge were a problem for decades as vehicles coming off the bridge had to stop at Lorne Street.

So, again, an unknown traffic-planner hero said, “Let’s just make it a three-way stop.” Voila, problem solved for the price of a couple of stop signs.

And while we’re talking traffic, after I proposed a fence at the top of Summit Drive instead of a multi-million-dollar overpass to stop students from running a gauntlet to TRU, it was pointed out to me that there’s already a chain-link fence between College Heights and the connector, but it has been easily cut.

But that’s not I was talking about. The answer is an attractive iron fence — not chain link — down the middle of the connector that nobody could cut through.

Simple and cheap. If only all the city’s problems could be resolved so easily.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.